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Missing National Park Volunteer, 73, Found Dead After Disappearing on Hike

According to a news release from the National Park Service (NPS), a volunteer in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park who had been reported missing was discovered dead on Sunday, February 2.

Between Tuesday, January 28 and Wednesday, January 29, Ann Houghton, 73, was scheduled to set off on a hike across North Carolina’s Great Smoky Mountains National Park. She was reported missing to the park on Saturday, February 1st, and her car was located near the Smokemont Campground.

The day Houghton was reported missing, local search and rescue personnel and law enforcement started looking for her. According to NPS, they looked for her throughout the Smokemont region, particularly in the vicinity of the Bradley Fork, Chasteen Creek, Hughes Ridge, and Enloe Creek trails.

Just before 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, Houghton’s body was found around a quarter mile off the Enloe Creek Trail.

Houghton lived in Jackson County, North Carolina. She served as an NPS front-line representative for more than 4,000 hours and volunteered for more than 20 years at the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

She received a nomination for the NPS George and Helen Hartzog Awards for Outstanding Volunteer Service in 2022 from the park.

The announcement of her candidacy stated, “Ann discreetly draws from first-hand, boots-on-ground experience in interaction with curious visitors and new members of staff.” “She has a talent for imparting important knowledge to both adults and children while allowing them room to think through ideas and carry on with self-directed exploration, but frequently through a more responsible, broad-minded lens.”

Houghton worked as a Leave No Trace Ambassador, Parkwide Litter Patrol Volunteer, Native Plants Gardener, Cemetery Assistant, Trail Maintainer, and Special Events Demonstrator. She worked mostly in environmental stewardship and visitor services at the Oconaluftee Visitor Center in North Carolina and the nearby Mountain Farm.

An enduring and cherished part of our Smoky Mountains community was Ann. In a statement released on Sunday, Great Smoky Mountains National area acting superintendent Charles Sellars said, “Great Smoky Mountains National Park offers condolences to her family and friends. She was a dedicated volunteer and an avid hiker who shared her passion for the park with many visitors.”

Her death is being looked into by the NPS.

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